Paragliding Lingo
There’s a lot of jargon used to describe equipment, flight conditions, and techniques.
SENDY’s here to share some key terms:
Equipment:
Wing/Canopy: the fabric structure that inflates with air to provide lift.
Harness: the seat where the pilot sits, attached to the wing with lines.
Risers: webbing straps connecting the pilot's harness to the lines.
Lines: thin cables that connect the canopy to the risers.
Brake Toggles: handles used to control the descent and direction of the glider.
Reserve Parachute: a backup parachute used in emergencies.
Variometer (Vario): an instrument used to measure climb or sink rate, helping the pilot find rising air.
Flight Conditions:
Lift: upward-moving air that helps the paraglider gain altitude.
Thermal Lift: rising warm air used to climb.
Ridge Lift: air deflected upward by a ridge or mountain.
Wave Lift: occurs when air flows over mountains and forms standing waves.
Sink: downward-moving air that causes a loss of altitude.
Headwind: wind blowing directly against the direction of flight, slowing progress.
Tailwind: wind blowing from behind, helping increase speed.
Crosswind: wind coming from the side, affecting stability.
LZ (Landing Zone): the designated area where the pilot plans to land.
Techniques:
Soaring: staying aloft by using lift, typically ridge lift, for extended periods.
Kiting (Ground Handling): practicing controlling the wing while on the ground, often in preparation for takeoff.
Spiral Dive: a steep descending maneuver where the wing spirals downward rapidly.
Wingover: a maneuver involving alternating turns, swinging the pilot side to side.
B-stall: a descent technique where the B-lines are pulled to cause the wing to lose lift.
Big Ears: a maneuver used to reduce lift by folding the outer parts of the wing inward, often for a faster descent.
General Terms:
Glide Ratio: the ratio of forward distance traveled to altitude lost.
Thermaling: circling in rising air to gain altitude.
Cross-Country (XC): long-distance flights that involve navigating from one location to another.
Para-waiting: refers to the often long periods of waiting for good weather conditions to launch.
This lingo helps pilots communicate efficiently and navigate flights safely!
www.seatoskyparagliding.com | Pemberton, BC
Here are some common slang terms used among pilots:
Bomb-out: landing early or much lower than intended, usually after failing to catch any lift.
Whack: a hard or clumsy landing.
Sled Ride: a short, easy flight with little or no lift, where you glide straight down to the landing zone.
Lifty: conditions with good lift, where it’s easy to stay aloft or climb.
Sinky: the opposite of "lifty"—air that’s causing rapid descent.
White Room: flying through thick clouds or fog where visibility is almost zero.
Cloud Suck: strong upward air currents near clouds that can pull a pilot into them.
Get Hoovered: being sucked into a cloud or strong thermal, like a vacuum.
Kiting: ground handling of the wing while practicing control before takeoff.
Throw Your Laundry: deploying the reserve parachute.
Skying Out: gaining a lot of altitude quickly, often due to strong thermals or ridge lift.
Going XC: refers to cross-country flying—pilots often say they're "going XC" when they leave the local flying site to fly long distances.
Beamer: a pilot who’s very confident or "beaming" with confidence.
Rotor: turbulent air caused by obstacles like mountains or buildings, often referred to with a sense of danger.
Grassy Knoll: a small hill that’s ideal for launching or practicing.
Describing Other Pilots:
Sky God: a highly skilled and experienced pilot.
Wind Dummy: the first pilot to take off to test the air conditions for others.
Ground Squirrel: someone who spends more time on the ground than flying, either due to nervousness or bad conditions.
Whackmaster: a pilot known for frequently having hard or awkward landings.
Thermal Hog: a pilot who hogs or takes up a thermal without leaving room for others to use it.
Paragliding has risks!
Check this link: https://www.ushpa.org/page/what-are-the-risks?hkey=8d48bccf-6b6c-4603-9288-84092ba41338
